Daily Grace

Life is unpredictable. We do not and cannot know the future. And the unknowns that await us can easily lead to overwhelming fear. “What if?” Circles constantly in our hearts and minds. How can we move fast these fears and overcome our anxieties about the future? We can look to the truth of God’s Word! The Bible never promises us that difficult things won’t happen in the future, but it does promise us that God will be with us no matter what happens. And it is in His presence that our worries are put to rest and our hope is restored. In this episode we talk about the root of our fears, the reality of the unknowns of the future, and how we can look forward to the future with hope and not fear because of God’s faithfulness to us.   Resources mentioned in this episode: McDonald’s Oreo McFlurry Veggies Made Great Frozen Chocolate Muffins Even If Study It Is Well Study In Everything Prayer Journal Scripture for Anxiety Journal Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology Suffering is Never for Nothi

God’s design for the church is good. The church is meant to be a place of refuge and worship. It is meant to be a place where believers can meet together and worship God and live in community with one another. But, because of sin, the church doesn’t always live according to its good design. Church hurt is real, and it is painful. But thankfully, the grace of God is able to heal that hurt and allow us to move forward. In this two part series, we talk about what church hurt is, how to handle it, what God says about it, and how to move forward onto the path of healing.    Maybe you have been hurt by your church as a whole, or maybe an individual in your church. Maybe you have been hurt by church leadership. Or maybe you are someone who has hurt someone else within your church. Regardless of the circumstance, this conversation is for you.  Resources mentioned in this episode:  Prayers for prodigals verse cards Prayers for the church verse cards The Faith Questions: Suffering  Between Grief and G

God’s design for the church is good. The church is meant to be a place of refuge and worship. It is meant to be a place where believers can meet together and worship God and live in community with one another. But, because of sin, the church doesn’t always live according to its good design. Church hurt is real, and it is painful. But thankfully, the grace of God is able to heal that hurt and allow us to move forward. In this two part series, we talk about what church hurt is, how to handle it, what God says about it, and how to move forward onto the path of healing.    Maybe you have been hurt by your church as a whole, or maybe an individual in your church. Maybe you have been hurt by church leadership. Or maybe you are someone who has hurt someone else within your church. Regardless of the circumstance, this conversation is for you.  Resources mentioned in this episode:  Prayers for prodigals verse cards Prayers for the church verse cards The Faith Questions: Suffering  Between Grief and G

The world is full of division. Politics, faith, current events, and even everyday disagreements with our family and friends divide us from one another. This division often leads to viewing those who oppose us as our enemies. We might even be tempted to think and act in a harsh and hateful way towards them. It could even be that their actions are so hurtful that our hatred feels justified.  But, Jesus has commanded us to love our enemies. We are to love them generously, graciously, and abundantly. Because when we do this we are reflecting the wildly generous and gracious love God has given to us through Jesus.  But what does loving our enemies really look like? How can we love our enemies on social media? What about the ones in our family? And the ones who have hurt us deeply? We are going to talk about all of this and more today. Come join our conversation on how to practically love our enemies.    Resources mentioned in this episode:  Sermon on the Mount Study 31 Days of Prayers for Others Prayer Cards

Forgiveness. It can be a really difficult topic for a lot of us. Maybe you have been severely hurt by someone in your life and you just can’t seem to move past it. Maybe you know you should forgive, but you just don’t know how. Or maybe you desire reconciliation and know that it isn’t an option, so you just avoid forgiveness all together. Whatever the case may be, you are not alone. Forgiveness is spoken about over and over again in scripture, and for good reason. Forgiveness makes us more like Jesus. Forgiveness is a picture of Jesus to others. But, that certainly doesn’t mean that it is easy. If you are struggling with forgiveness or holding a grudge, and you want to know what God has to say about whether or not forgiveness is really necessary, this conversation is for you.    Resources mentioned in this episode:  Emotions and the Heart Study   Scripture mentioned in this episode: Matthew 18:21–22 Psalm 139 Romans 5:8 Romans 3:23 Romans 3:10 Luke 23:34 1 John 4:19  Ephesians 4:32 Hebrews 4:1

Change is inevitable. Our lives change continually every single day, it seems. Sometimes that change is good but sometimes it’s can hard. And it can make us question God’s goodness and his plans for our lives. In today’s episode we are talking about how to navigate change in light of the gospel and how we can always rest our every changing lives in the hands of our unchanging God. If you have ever dealt with change that made you question where God is or made you wonder what He has next for us as His children, this conversation is for you.   Scripture mentioned in this episode: Psalm 143:8 Malachi 3:6 Romans 8:38-39 Psalm 119:89 Philippians 1:6 Matt 24:35 Psalm 46:1-3 Isaiah 50:7 Psalm 1:1-3   Connect with us: Subscribe to Daily Grace: on iOS, go to our iTunes page and click subscribe.  On Android, click this podcast RSS feed link and choose your podcast app.  If needed, you can copy this link directly into your favorite podcast app (like Stitcher or Overcast). Or follow us on Spotify!   We wo

Shame is something that we were never meant to feel, but because of sin, shame is part of our lives. We feel shame when we believe that something about us is unacceptable. This can be especially prevalent when it comes to our body image. So often, we feel as though our bodies aren’t good enough – they don’t look good enough or don’t function well enough. And it can lead us to deep feelings of shame. In today’s episode, we talk about how Jesus has already overcome that shame on our behalf and how it is truly possible to claim victory in our physical bodies. If you have ever dealt with feelings of shame over your body and want to know how to fight the enemy’s lies, this conversation is for you.  Resources mentioned in this episode: Breaking Free from Body Shame by Jess Connolly   Scripture mentioned in this episode: Genesis 3:7 Genesis 3:8 Psalm 34:5 Matthew 11:28    Connect with us: Subscribe to Daily Grace: on iOS, go to our iTunes page and click subscribe.  On Android, click this podcast RSS feed link

Everyday as we peruse social media, we see countless diets and fitness programs telling us how we can be better. Every program or diet offers false happiness and fulfillment that will only come through changing the way that we look. As believers, we know that true happiness and fulfillment can only come through Jesus. But, we also know that we are to care for our earthly bodies. So how do we do that with the gospel in mind? Today, we are talking about how we should treat our bodies in light of the gospel. Join us as we navigate how to base our body image and the treatment of our bodies in scripture rather than the world. Scripture mentioned in this episode: Romans 12:1-2 2 Timothy 1:7 Hebrews 12:11 1 John 1:9 John 9 2 Corinthians 12 2 Corinthians 4:7 1 Corinthians 15:35-50 Philippians 3:21   Connect with us: Subscribe to Daily Grace: on iOS, go to our iTunes page and click subscribe.  On Android, click this podcast RSS feed link and choose your podcast app.  If needed, you can copy this link dire

At the start of the new year, so many of us make the goal to read the Bible in a year. We start with the best intentions but we typically give us when we don’t understand a passage of scripture or we get behind on our reading plan. Today, we are talking about how to set and reach the goal of reading the Bible more in 2022. This is a goal that we will never regret setting. But sometimes, life gets in the way. Busy jobs, kids, or just daily tasks can keep us from believing that we have the time to spend in the Word. Just know, you’re not alone in feeling that way. Luckily, there are so many resources designed to help us set the goal and finally reach it. So whether you feel as though reading the Bible in a year or even just reading it more is a daunting task, or you’re eager to get started on January 1st, this conversation is for you. Come join us.   Connect with us:  Subscribe to Daily Grace: on iOS, go to our iTunes page and click subscribe.  On Android, click this podcast RSS feed link and choose your pod

FOMO. The Fear of Missing Out. You’ve probably experienced it. It’s this fear or anxiety that creeps up on us when we think we’re missing out on something, like an experience, an opportunity, a relationship. There are many reasons why we can experience FOMO, even as believers. We want to belong. We want to be seen as valuable. We want to maximize all of our opportunities, and so much more. In this conversation, we talk about how the gospel offers us a better answer to each of these reasons. As believers, we may experience FOMO, but we don’t have to. Come join our conversation.   What is FOMO? (4:07) FOMO is a common experience. (6:22) 5 reasons we may experience FOMO (and how the gospel confronts these reasons): We want to belong. We want to be known and loved and accepted. (9:48) We have a desire to be admired and seen as valuable. (18:13) We want to control our situations. (26:16) We have this idea that we have to maximize our opportunities. (33:00) We have a scarcity mentality. (40:13)    

Polio and its lingering effects. Loss of a child due to a doctor’s mistake. Infidelity and a broken marriage. Post-Polio Syndrome. These are all hard things for any one person to bear. It’s no wonder Vaneetha Risner titled her memoir “Walking Through Fire” and identifies as a sufferer. Yet, it’s in and through her suffering where she testifies to the goodness and nearness of God. In this conversation, she reminds us that, as believers, we’re not guaranteed an easy life. We’re not promised a life void of suffering. But in Christ, we also know that we’re not alone in our suffering. God remains unchanging; He is good and near and compassionate. We can find comfort and rest in the character of God as we experience our own suffering. By His grace, joy and suffering can coexist in the Christian life. Take heart! Here are some questions that Vaneetha answers in this interview:   Could you give our listeners a quick overview of the “fire” that you have walked through? (3:15) When we are deeply wounded, we may

Liturgy. You may have heard this word before. Maybe you’ve been to a liturgical service where the congregation followed a particular order of events. Or maybe your church incorporates liturgical prayers where everyone says a written prayer out loud together. Or maybe you’ve seen some written prayers on Instagram. Kayla Craig is a beautiful voice on many different platforms, and she offers wonderful modern liturgies for parents. Her handle is @liturgiesforparents and she also wrote a book called To Light Their Way: A Collection of Prayers and Liturgies for Parents. But this conversation isn’t just for parents. We talk about liturgies in general and how we can embrace them in our day to day lives. We really do think this conversation will be edifying no matter what season of life you’re in! Be sure to follow Kayla on IG at @kayla_craig and @liturgiesforparents! Here are some questions that Kayla answers in this interview:   What are liturgies? (7:11)   What is the benefit of liturgies for the believer

It’s the holidays! Twinkle lights are everywhere. You’re thinking about gifts and holiday outings. You log onto social media and see a ton of gift guides. You see perfectly curated photos of families at pumpkin patches and Christmas tree farms. Suddenly, you feel something: you feel discontentment. Discontentment can be a struggle any time of the year, but it definitely can be magnified during the holiday season. And what we have found is that social media adds fuel to the flame. In the past, we could only see what people were buying or doing in our local vacinities. Now, we can see what tens of thousands of people are buying and doing around the entire world! If we’re not careful, we’ll not only be consumed with discontentment, but we could even miss out on the true reason for the season: Jesus. It’s easy to look to other things to feel the hype of the season. This is true even for believers! So we want to ask: how can we combat discontentment, engage wisely on social media, and ultimately, magnify the true

Your theology matters. Jesus has called you to be a doer of His Word, not just a hearer. This requires us to have a “head knowledge” in order to know what Jesus has called us to do, but it doesn’t stop there. We need this knowledge to sink into our hearts in order to change us and impact how we live. This is how our theology fuels our doxology, or our worship of God in our everyday lives! If we’re parents or around children, this impacts how we talk and teach and relate to them, too! We are joined by Amy Gannett. Amy is a Bible teacher, a writer, a speaker, a church planter’s wife, the owner and creator of Tiny Theologians, and the author of “Fix Your Eyes: How Theology Shapes Our Worship”. In this conversation, she helps us dig deeper into this idea of how our theology impacts our everyday lives. She talks to us about how to safeguard against this tendency to just learn things about God and His Word (head knowledge) without it changing our lives (and our hearts). She talks to us about how we can explain the

Be grateful. Do not grumble. We know this. Yet, many of us struggle. Many of us would say that gratitude doesn’t come naturally to us. Not all the time, anyway. Too often, we find ourselves wrestling with ingratitude. We find ourselves grumbling. But when we grumble, what’s really going on? More often than not, there’s a lot going on inside of our hearts. Maybe it’s discontentment; comparison; envy; jealousy; self-hatred. These deep heart issues seep out into our thoughts and in our words--we grumble. In this episode, we talk about what grumbling reveals about our hearts. We talk about how the gospel confronts our grumbling, and how we can be people of gratitude.      What does gratitude look like? (5:43) What is grumbling? (9:13) What’s going on in our hearts when we grumble? (14:21) We grumble because: Entitlement (19:22) Discontentment (21:11) Suffering (23:01) The impact of grumbling on our hearts. (33:12) Grumbling impacts how we view and relate to others. (36:08) What are things we can

Shame is hard. Shame around sex and sexuality is really hard. Some of us feel shame from our own sexual sin. Others of us feel shame from others who have sinned against us sexually. Some of us grew up in Christian households that didn’t handle the topic of sex and sexuality well so we’ve experienced shame about sex even within the context of marriage. This is all hard. How do we develop a biblical view of sex and sexuality? How can we find healing and hope? Today, we’re joined by Shalee Lehning. Shalee works on staff at Harvest USA, which is a biblically-based organization that works to help people of all different ages and backgrounds who deal with gender and sexuality issues. Shalee co-wrote a book with Ellen Dykas called “Sexual Faithfulness: Gospel-Infused, Practical Discipleship for Women”. There’s also a FREE course on this topic with guides for leaders and participants. You can find all of this at harvestusa.org. Be sure to follow Harvest USA on Instagram (@harvestusa) for more helpful content. Here

Stories are powerful. We crave stories. They move us and impact us. Isn’t it interesting how God communicates His plan of redemption through the STORY of Scripture? He is the master Storyteller! And as His image bearers, we are also storytellers. We each have a story. Yet, many of us don’t know how to communicate our stories to others. We don’t realize how our stories can impact how we share the gospel and disciple others. Some of us think our stories are boring; our testimonies seem to be void of drama. Others of us think our stories are too hard and may even discredit us from talking about God with others. But the truth is, all of our stories matter. We can craft and share our personal stories to the glory of God! In this conversation, we are joined by Kyra Riley Daniels, and she helps us work through the topic of personal stories and storytelling. Kyra is a staff writer at The Daily Grace Co., but along with her degree in theology from Westminster, she has a degree in theater from Yale University. Here ar

Can people really change? From little quirks to deep-seated issues, we’re asking the question that many of us may have asked in secret: is it possible for someone to truly change? Maybe we’ve asked it of ourselves. We keep doing the same thing (that we don’t want to do), over and over again. We may think to ourselves, “I’m not sure if I can ever grow out of that and change for the better.” It’s easy to feel frustrated with ourselves and with those around us.   The gospel answers this question directly. The gospel is the good news that through the person and work of Jesus Christ, children of wrath are transformed to become children of God. This regeneration is the ultimate change. It’s hearts of stone being changed to hearts of flesh. It’s the spiritually dead becoming spiritually alive. But what happens afterward? Why do we, believers, still ask this question of ourselves and those around us? We worked through this question and topic in this week’s episode. Come join us!     The big question: “Can peopl

You are forming habits all the time, whether passively or actively. So in a way, your life is a compilation of your habits. The question is: what kind of habits are we forming? And can we actually form habits that fortify our faith and help us grow in Christlikeness? Many of us hear the word “habit”, and we apply the concept to things like working out or washing our faces before bed. Or maybe we primarily think of “bad” habits, like the habit of biting your nails when you’re bored or anxious; the habit of reaching for your phone when you’re waiting in line; or the habit of binge eating sweets when you’re stressed. But can “good” habits be cultivated with the aim of growing our faith? Why should this idea of habits be related to spiritual things at all?   Habits mean automation. It means we don’t have to invest as much energy and thought into doing something. When we put it that way, we can easily see how habits can be beneficial for our spiritual lives. Think about it: when you cultivate the habit of rememb

Raise your hand if you skip genealogies in your Bible reading! We get it. These hard-to-pronounce names are just hard. We are tempted to skim past them. We know they’re important because God, in His infinite wisdom, included them, but we’re not sure why. To put it simply, genealogies trace God’s faithfulness and promises throughout history. Each name tells us something about God! And if we look closely, we’ll see that a few women are included, too.   In today’s episode, we dive into the story of each of these women. These stories teach us a lot about God, but we pull 5 truths about God beautifully shown in and through these women’s stories. These can seem like simple truths that we know, but when we see them played out in these women’s lives, they sink in. They stir our affections for our great God!   God is faithful to fulfill His promises. (12:44) God is sovereign. (31:56) God loves His enemies. (45:10)  God sets His love and extends His promises to people to all tribes, nations, and tongues. (49:21